The MASCOT (Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout) lander released from Japan’s Hayabusa 2 spacecraft made three hops to different locations on asteroid Ryugu. On October 3, 2018 at 01:57 UTC the tiny lander, no bigger than a microwave oven, released from the “Hayabusa-2” space probe as the Japanese mothership maneuvered to a point just 51 meters from Ryugu. Six minutes later, the tumbling lander made first contact with the asteroid’s surface — at 02: 03 UTC — and bounced several times, as intended, before coming to a stop and kicking off a pre-programmed automated science campaign.